August 1, 1839. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
99 
young queens. The first meal has more influence on their after 
usefulness and productiveness than some suppose. 
My other half of queens -with a few extra are taken from a 
stock after it had swarmed once, and divided into nine nuclei, 
each containing three shallow frames and either a hatched-out 
queen or having one or more cells, the poorest and weakest looking 
being destroyed. It is not always the queens that destroy the 
unhatched cells or rival queens. The workers do both as frequently 
as the queens do. 
Owing to the nature of the season there is more honey stored 
in the body of the hives than usual, so much so that each lot of 
nine nuclei will require no feeding, which lessens the risk of their 
being robbed ; but from our strong stocks, when nine only are 
created, the bees are numerous enough to defend themselves if a 
narrow doorway is given and no work done likely to incite robbing. 
I have frequently made a dozen to fifteen nuclei from one stock, 
but when the bee-keeper can afford it, it is better to have the 
lesser number. 
BEE FLOWERS. 
Before this appears in print our bees will be amongst the 
Wild Thyme and the Heather bells, as well as the " bright-eyed ” 
Veronica, which is a honey-yielding plant, and a favourite of 
the bees. While speaking of flowers I enclose a spray of a 
Sedum (for naming), one of richest in honey and pollen of any 
flower, and will grow like other Sedums on soil that few other 
flowers will. There are few plants that flower so profusely as it 
does, therefore it must be a profitable one to plant by those who 
cultivate flowers specially for their bee3. There are various 
shades of colour in this species, and once established, which is 
easily done, the plants soon give a carpet of flowers. 
EXTRACTORS. 
Since the extractor came into use this is the first year that 
its usefulness has been recognised, but even when required we can 
dispense with it. When our hives are top heavy beneath the 
supers, it is only the work of a few minutes to transfer the honey 
frames on the top to the under box, the latter frames and their 
contents taking the place of the former, this done on a day 
when no honey is coming in ; and if the seals of the comb be 
scratched a little the honey will soon be taken to the supers by 
the bees and stored in them in a purer state than if extracted by a 
machine when every cell was not sealed, and this too with less 
loss. The divisions are hinged at the back, so that an empty 
box is all that is necessary to put the frames in for a few minutes, 
until room is made for their reception by the removal of those in 
the second box operated on. This is a much better plan than 
inverting combs ; besides, the form of hive reduces the number of 
appliances in the apiary—a desirable thing of itself. 
I thank “ A. H. B. K.” for his response to my request. The 
subject will be studied and experiments made with the view of 
bringing to light all the essential points necessary to queen rearing, 
for without perfect queens the labours of the bee-keeper are in 
vain. 
THE WEATHER. 
For several weeks past the weather has been showery, and 
practically put an end to the Clover honey season while it was at 
its best. Our bees were removed to the Heather on July 24th, to 
the most beautiful bloom of wild Thyme and Heather that has 
ever occurred to the memory of the oldest person, so the prospects 
before us are promising indeed, and being three weeks earlier than 
usual there is a greater likelihood of a large yield. It was the 
coldest morning we had had for many weeks, the thermometer 
registering 39° Fahr. with us, but at the Leadhills it was reported 
that a frost had been experienced having the aspect of a Christmas 
morning ; but it is in the valleys, and not on the hills, that the 
frost injures vegetation. The climate in that locality is good and 
invigorating, and the best for restoring the health of invalids that 
I have experienced. Our bees were transmitted to their standing 
place more expeditiously than previously, owing greatly to the 
proprietor of the Hopeton Arms placing at our disposal a more 
suitable conveyance. 
BEE TOPICS. 
While on our journey I had the privilege of being in company 
with a gentleman bee-keeper. Naturally our conversation was 
greatly on bees, honey, &c. The idea of bees dropping formic acid 
into the cell upon the top of the honey just before being finally 
closed, similar to what our ancestors did to their preserves by 
pouring a little spirits on the top previous to covering to prevent 
fermentation, was discussed, my opinion being that bees perform 
this generally throughout the whole mass while the honey is in the 
stomach, which can be detected by the change of the flavour 'of 
any syrup when taken and tasted directly from the stomach of the 
bee. 
The discussion on the above brought in other topics, among 
which was that of the injurious effects unsealed honey had upon 
numerous individuals. The gentleman in question has exerted 
himself greatly to discover the cause why honey should be 
injurious to anyone, and invariably he has discovered that it is 
only in cases where unsealed honey was partaken of that left any 
ill effects on the individual after. At this stage a stranger gentle¬ 
man in the same compartment who had been listening to the 
conversation asked “ if he might be allowed to give an explana¬ 
tion.” This granted, he continued by saying that he always used 
honey in the house as food and medicine. For many years he had 
his supply from Ayrshire, but the connection being broken he 
applied to a Glasgow house and procured what he considered 
equally as good honey ; but everyone who partook'of it was seized 
with illness, and this on every occasion it was eaten. The honey 
did not granulate properly, and it was proved afterwards to be un¬ 
sealed and extracted honey. The above bore out the evidence of 
my friend, and convinced me that some kinds of honey contain 
poison until the heat of the hive volatilises it. Such crude honey 
taken from the combs by an extractor also contains water and 
pollen the bees intended for their grub, and which never would 
have entered the composition of honey had the bees been allowed 
to seal it. 
We have frequently advised bee-keepers to be careful to place 
nothing on the market but honey taken from naturally sealed 
combs, thereby obtaining a good reputation for themselves and 
their honey. But there exists a strong desire in some to be rich,, 
and the advice has been disregarded. It is now our duty, under 
the existing circumstances, to warn the public against buying honey 
unless that which has to their knowledge been taken from sealed 
combs. If bee-keeping is to be a success combined with pleasure, 
the bee must be allowed to complete her work, and all the inven¬ 
tions, which were to some extent intended to supplant her, must 
fall to the ground ; then will there be a greater demand for honey, 
and the right sort of bee-keepers will increase, and the public will 
be satisfied and benefited. 
ANGLED TIN BAR SECTION CRATES. 
It is now several years since I recommended through this 
Journal the use of angled tin in hives and in section crates. In 
1884 I exhibited a hive containing the different arrangements, and 
was awarded the first prize for it, as I was for many others when in 
competition with the leading bee-keepers and hive makers of the* 
country, the Judges in this case being practical bee-keepers. The’ 
exhibit showed the arrangements for both super and section. The 
former had a permanent wire or saw web to sever any comb that 
might be attached to top of hive. Like many other good things, 
however, it was not at the time much valued, but now it is becom¬ 
ing popular both here and in America. 
They are easily made and useful. Tradesmen have machinery 
which can turn them out both quickly and neatly, but there are. 
some who cannot afford to buy, but who could make them. The 
following instructions will, I doubt not, help them to it. Get 
two pieces of hard wocd—beech is good—the length, less the thick- 
